This invention relates to surgical finger and fence splints for use in immobilizing various parts of the body, such as fingers and arms.
Finger splints are presently comprised of aluminum sheet strip approximately one-half to one inch wide and 0.030 inch thick. A foam rubber pad is glued to the aluminum sheet strip by hand. The strip, with the foam attached, is cut to lengths of approximately nine to twelve inches and packaged for shipment.
Fence splints are manufactured in a similar manner. The aluminum sheet strip used in fence splints is generally 0.050 inch thick, and is cut to sizes approximately two to four inches in width and sixteen inches in length. A special splint design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,325, wherein the aluminum sheet strip is provided with straight scores which reduce the stiffness and increase the formability perpendicular to the direction of the straight scores.
There are several inherent limitations and disadvantages associated with such prior art splints. First, because they are fabricated of relatively thick aluminum sheet material, they ae difficult to cut to size for final fitting to the patient. It is also difficult to obtain good x-rays without removing the splints, again because of the thickness of the aluminum sheet material. The weight of such splints is often uncomfortable to the patient, bearing in mind that the splints are being applied to an injured area. The thickness of the aluminum sheet material also increases the material costs of manufacturing such splints.
Additional disadvantages are caused by the hand-glued foam padding. Because the padding is permanently attached to the splint, when the foam padding becomes soiled and unsanitary the entire splint must be discarded. Then a new splint must be formed to immobilize the injured area; however, it is difficult to duplicate the precise shape of the original splint, with the result that the injured member is not held in the same position at it was with the original splint. It is desirable to immobilize the injured member in one position throughout the time necessary for healing. Hand gluing the foam pads to the splints is also an inefficient metod of manufacture.